Christmas break is quite delightful! I have been able to get about 12 hours of sleep a night, eat lots of food, spend lots of time with family, go to daily mass, and take extra time for prayer. I have a boom that I've been reading for pleasure, and am catching up on all my television watching. But I wanted to share today about my prayer that I had this evening.
This past semester was pretty rough. I had headaches almost daily for the second half of the semester and some form of migraine or tension headache about twice a week. I would say that I truly experienced suffering this last semester, and continue to experience it. Even with break I've had quite a few headaches and experienced quite a bit of pain. But I keep offering it up. I know The Lord has asked me to suffer in this way, though I am going to doctors I see what they can do for me because my pain knocks me down some days to a point of not functioning.
Today's inspiration came from psalm 31 and Matt. 10:17-22.
Today's gospel was kind of funny to me today. If you think about Christmas, it's a time of rejoicing in the gift of our Savior. Yet today's gospel says "you will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
Those who choose to follow Jesus will be hated and despised. They will face many challenges and have a life where they will endure much suffering, but they will be rewarded, and they will beat the cross, the trials with the grace of God.
The gospel today also says " do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say for it will not be you who speak but the spirit of your Father speaking through you." He tells us not to worry. Know, and be aware that it will be hard but the Lord will speak through you, work through you - you will be His hands and feet, upon choosing to belong to him, to follow him.
Then the psalm says " I will rejoice and be glad in your love, once you have seen my misery, observed my distress. You will not abandon me into enemy hands..." The Lord knows our misery, he sees our pain, our distress - he even monitors it and won't give us more than we can handle. (I know the Lord won't give me more than I can handle, but sometimes I wish he didn't trust me so much -Mother Teresa) Therefore, we know we can rejoice and be glad in the love of the Lord. He is our source of joy, and will ease the burdens and suffering in our lives.
Lastly, it says "Be strong and take heart all you who hope in The Lord." May The Lord be our strength! May we seek him as our source of joy. When we grow weary may we seek our King to reign in our hearts, may we permit him to lead us.
"Do not be afraid, your prayer had been heard" Luke 1:13
May we be strong in our Father in heaven and never fear that he will not provide for us - knowing that he has heard our prayer and will answer!
Praise be to God, may we rejoice in the gift of our savior, as he has been born and come to us in the innocent form of a child!
God bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment